A serious bruise can be blue, purple, or black in color.
Why Bruises Change Color
When you get a bruise, blood vessels under your skin are damaged, causing blood to leak into the surrounding tissues. Initially, the bruise might appear reddish, reflecting the color of fresh blood. Over time, this leaked blood begins to lose oxygen, which causes the color to change.
Here's a breakdown of how the color changes occur:
- Initial Red: Freshly leaked blood gives the bruise a reddish color.
- Blue, Purple, or Black: As the blood loses oxygen, the bruise darkens to shades of blue, purple, or even black. This color shift is due to the change in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
Factors Affecting Bruise Color
The exact shade of a bruise can depend on several factors:
- Size: Larger bruises tend to be darker and more noticeable.
- Location: Bruises in areas with more blood vessels might appear darker.
- Severity: More severe injuries generally lead to more significant bruising.
It's important to note that not every bruise will go through all of these color changes. Some bruises may remain mostly blue, while others might transition more quickly through the color spectrum.
The reference material states, "After 1-2 days the blood that has leaked out begins to lose oxygen and change color. Depending on the size, location and severity of your bruise, it could appear shades of blue, purple or black." This directly supports the information presented above.
